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The purpose of this study was to identify and evaluate local government lawn conversion programs that incentivize homeowners to convert turf lawns into a more sustainable, water-efficient landscape. Seven communities' lawn conversion programs are assessed through interviews with city officials administering or implementing the program. The research objectives included determining where lawn conversion programs are located, why they were adopted, determining how city officials measured their effectiveness, major barriers and benefits of adopting the program, and asking city officials whether or not they recommended other communities adopt a program. This research found 33 programs in seven states, with six of the seven communities recommending other communities adopt a similar program. Major barriers to the adoption of a program included 1) obtaining support from city council and staff, 2) time and resources required to administer the program, 30 acceptance of more water-efficient landscape practices, 4 ) a lack of knowledge on maintenance requirements of these of landscapes, and 5) the program's overall impact on water usage. Major benefits cited included water saving positive citizen feedback and support, environmental benefits, and its use as an education and awareness tool. This research should help improve the effectiveness of existing programs and seguide a guiede for communities seeking to adopt a similar lawn conversion program.
Water planning efforts typically identify problems and needs. But simply calling attention to issues is usually not enough to spur action; the end result of many well-intentioned planning efforts is a report that ends up gathering dust on a shelf. Vague recommendations like "Water conservation measures should be implemented" usually accomplish little by themselves as they don't assign responsibility to anyone. Success is more likely when an implementation strategy -- who can and should do what -- is developed as part of the planning process. The more detailed and specific the implementation strategy, the greater the chance that something will actually be done. The question then becomes who has the legal authority or responsibility to do what? Are new laws and programs needed or can existing ones be used to implement the recommendations? ... This document is divided into four main parts. The first, "Carrots and Sticks" looks at two basic approaches -- regulatory and non-regulatory -- that can be, and are, used to carry out water policy. Both have advantages and disadvantages that need to be considered. The second, "The powers of federal, state and local governmen ...," looks at the constitutional powers the federal government and state and local governments have to carry out water policy. An initial look at the U.S. Constitution might suggest the federal government's regulatory authority over water is limited but, in fact, its powers are very substantial. States have considerable authority to do a number of things but have to be mindful of any federal efforts that might conflict with those state efforts. And local governments can only do those things the state constitution or state legislature says they can do and must conform to any requirements or limitations on those powers that are contained in the enabling acts. Parts three and four examine in more detail the main programs and agencies at the federal level as well as Iowa's state and local levels and the roles they play in national and state water policy. -- Introduction, pages 3-4.
Municipal and Industrial Water Conservation: The Federal Government Could Do More
California's population is expected to add another 14 million people by 2030, reaching a total of 48 million. One of the most serious concerns of policymakers is whether the state will be able to supply the water needed to sustain such a population. Although many large water projects in the past were undertaken with state and federal leadership, most current options are local or regional in scope. The frontline agencies responsible for water supply are the hundreds of municipal utilities serving the state's residential and commercial customers. In this report, the author examines how well California is faring in meeting the water supply challenges of growth throughout the state and the extent to which local governments are integrating water supply concerns into their land-use planning. The report also evaluates progress in implementing the new "show me the water" laws, SB 610 and SB 221, which require up-front screening of water availability for large development projects.